Lights are being dimmed or switched off completely on roads in a bid to save money on energy bills and meet carbon emission targets.

Cheshire East Council plans make the changes on major routes into and out of Macclesfield over the next few weeks.

Routes earmarked for action which include:

The A536 Park Street/ Park Lane in Macclesfield to Congleton Road at North Rode.

The A537 from Chelford to Macclesfield and then the A537 Buxton Road from The Silk Road to Ecton Avenue.

The A5149 Chester Road at Poynton.

The A523 London Road from Hazel Grove to Prestbury and the A523 The Silk Road from Prestbury to Bosley.

The move is backed by Cheshire Police and the fire service.

Councillor Rod Menlove, Cabinet member for environmental services, said: “These changes are just part of our ongoing drive to reduce our energy consumption across the borough.

“I want to reassure residents that we will choose the most suitable approach for where they live.

“There is absolutely no evidence that switching off street lights on stretches of roads has a detrimental effect on road safety and, in fact, has improved road safety in many areas."

The council maintains around 38,000 street light costing £1.6m annually.

By 2016 the authority is aiming to reduce its energy bill by 40pc and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 25pc. Street lighting is responsible for 14pc of emissions, the equivalent to 7,200 tonnes of CO2.

The pilot scheme earned the backing of space enthusiasts at Jodrell Bank and bat conservationists.